Prosser Memorial Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan Awareness

Many of you have questions about when you will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. We are currently in Phase 1a of the rollout plan that has been developed with recommendations that closely align with the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This includes risk stratification given the limited supply of the vaccine for COVID-19 for the first two months. These guidelines are provided by the CDC.

Phase 1a includes the following groups:

• High-risk workers in health care settings (clinical judgment should be applied to identify who is at greatest risk).
• High-risk first responders (clinical judgment should be applied to identify who is at greatest risk).
• Residents and staff of nursing homes assisted living facilities, and other community-based, congregate living settings where most individuals over 65 years of age are receiving care, supervision, or assistance. This is to avoid hospitalizations, severe morbidity, and mortality.

Phase 1b includes:

• People of all ages with comorbid and underling conditions that put them at significantly high risk.
• Older adults living in congregate or overcrowded settings.

Phase 2 includes:

• K-12 teachers and school staff and childcare workers.
• Critical workers in high-risk settings – workers who are in industries essential to the function of society and at substantially high-risk of exposure.
• People of all ages with comorbid and underlying conditions that put them at moderately high risk.
• People in homeless shelters or group homes for individuals with disabilities, including serious mental illness, developmental and intellectual disabilities s, and physical disabilities, or in recovery and staff who work in such settings.
• People in prison, jails, detention centers, and similar facilities and staff who work in such settings.
• All older adults not included in Phase 1.

You can visit the Department of Health’s website to learn more the vaccine rollout plan:
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/1600/coronavirus/WA-COVID-19-Vaccination-Plan.pdf

For information on the community vaccination schedule, please call Prosser Memorial Health Chief Communications Officer Shannon Hitchcock at 509.786.6601 or [email protected] Additional COVID-19 resources can be found on our website at prosserhealth.org. We will notify the community when we begin the community vaccine clinics.